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Animal groups seeing increase in relinquishments

Jan 13, 2022 | 5:25 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – At the start of the pandemic people looked for companionship when they started spending more time at home.

Nearly two years later the SPCA is seeing the reverse.

“We’ve seen people wanting to relinquish their animals more,” says Tom Carney, shelter director at the Medicine Hat SPCA.

“Now I don’t know if that’s because of economic times because people haven’t been working for a good chunk of the pandemic or because they are going back to work and they don’t feel like they can still provide the best care for their animals but we have seen over the past, geez I want to say four to six weeks, an increase in people inquiring about relinquishments and people wanting to relinquish their animals.”

He says it’s a full house at the SPCA right now and they’re asking people to try to find other homes for their animals.

Carney says when they adopt out an animal they want it to be to a forever home.

“Animals are great, especially if you’re single or the animals they definitely provide people with that joy of life I guess, if you will,” he says. “People that have animals think it’s been proven that they live longer, they’re happier, they’re more social. So I think that you know adopting an animal is a great choice but on the same side, you know, you have to be ready to adopt it.”

The president of Persian Dreams and Canine Themes says those animals that have been adopted during the pandemic are reaching or are already at the age where they need to be spayed or neutered, a bill some families may not have been ready for.

“There’s a lot of low cost spay-neuter programs in town, if that’s one of the reasons why,” says Samantha Lole. “If not, if it’s more food related that kind of stuff they could always reach out to some of the rescues, or some of the other organizations in town too that do have food available for animals.”

Persian Dreams also helps out where it can with food.

Both Carney and Lole say they want relinquishment to be a last resort.